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Men’s golf set for MVC Championship

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Country Club of Paducah to host championship

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Beginning on Sunday, the University of Evansville men’s golf team will be in Paducah, Ky. to take part in the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Golf Championship.

Hosted by the Country Club of Paducah, tournament will feature three rounds of 18 holes.  A single round will be played each day from April 24 through the 26th.  Par is set for 72 and the yardage layout is set for 7,014.

Evansville completed the regular season on April 12 at the Tennessee State University Big Blue Intercollegiate.  Carson Parker was the top finisher for the Purple Aces, earning a tie for the 21st position.  Following his opening-round score of 77, Parker shot a 1-over 72 in the second round, which was spread between Monday and Tuesday due to the inclement weather.  His final score came in at a 149.

Isaac Rohleder matched Parker’s final round score with a 72.  He made one of the largest improvements between rounds in the entire event, dropping his score by 10 strokes from his opening round tally.  He finished in a tie for 39th with a total of 154.  Henry Kiel completed the tournament with a 156, completing both rounds with a 78.  He tied for 44th.

Michael Ikejiani and Caleb Wassmer tied for 53rd in the final standings with a 158.  In round two, Ikejiani matched his opening round score of 79.  Wassmer began the tournament with an 81 before lowering his score to a 77 in the final 18 holes.

The Purple Aces earned a ninth-place finish with a total of 614 strokes.  They were three behind 8th-place finisher Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Former VU setter Savannah Grimes to return to the court at Florida Tech

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VINCENNES, Ind. – Former Vincennes University volleyball setter Savannah Grimes (Dieterich, Ill.) announced earlier this week that she will be returning to the volleyball court after taking a year off to focus on her academics by signing with Florida Tech in Melbourne, Fla.

Grimes was the textbook definition of a student-athlete at Vincennes University, double-majoring in Engineering and Marine Biology and being a two-time NJCAA Academic All-American recipient, including receiving First-Team Academic All-American honors for the 2019-2020 school year.

“I chose Florida Tech initially for their great Chemical Engineering department and the amazing location,” Grimes said. “They offer a fast-track program that counts certain classes as undergraduate and graduate credits, so students can finish their master’s program in a year or less. The school is a few miles from the beach and it is still crazy to me that I can go there at almost any time.”

“I am thrilled that Savannah has decided to continue to play,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “I knew she would do this, so it comes as no surprise to me at all.”

“What I miss most about Vincennes University is the amazing staff there,” Grimes added. “It was obvious the professors really care about their students and want to make sure they are successful. Also, the facilities at Vincennes University are incredible.”

“Aside from volleyball, Savannah was a model student,” Sien said. “She not only excelled in her studies, but she also tutored. When did she sleep or eat? Savannah is someone the Athletic Department should be very proud to say is one of our very own.”

Grimes helped tutor her fellow students in math, biology and chemistry while at Vincennes University, where she worked closely with VU Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Mathematics Curt Coffman.

“Savannah was an exceptional student during her time at VU,” Coffman said. “She not only completed two degrees, Zoology & Marine Biology and Chemical Engineering, but graduated Magna Cum Laude at the top of her class. She also tutored math, biology and chemistry in between classes, practices and matches.”

“These are all impressive, but what matters most is that Savannah is an incredible person,” Coffman added. “She is friendly, genuine, kind and holds herself to a high level of integrity. That’s a rare combination and we were fortunate to have her here at VU.”

Florida Tech University is an NCAA Division II program that plays in a very strong Sunshine Conference along with school’s like Tampa University who won the NCAA D-II National Championship in 2021.

Nova Southeastern, Embry-Riddle, Lynn and Palm Beach Atlantic also represented the Sunshine Conference in the NCAA Tournament and all were ranked this past season.

In her two seasons with the Trailblazers, Grimes came away with 1474 set assists, 707 digs and 60 service aces, in just 239 sets.

Grimes was a First-Team All-Region 24 selection after the Spring 2021 season, in which she finished with 753 set assists, 271 digs and 39 blocks.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY RECENT BOOKING RECORDS

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Booked Last 24 Hours-Public

ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND ONEP IN PERSON VOTING BREAKDOWN

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Yesterday was the deadline for us to receive an absentee ballot application to vote by mail. These are the numbers we discussed for voting as of end-of-day, April 21st:

Total Ballots Mailed: 1224

Total Ballots Received Back:  750

Total ballots cast in person at ONEP (Old National Events Plaza):  488

Early voting will continue at ONEP Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, April 29th and from 8 a.m. to noon on Monday, May 2nd.

Early voting on Saturday, April 23rd and April 30th at ONEP will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Early voting on Saturday, April 23rd and April 30th at Cedar Hall School and Northeast Park Baptist Church will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Early voting at the following libraries will be Monday, April 25th through Thursday, April 28th from noon to 6 p.m. and on Friday, April 29th from noon to 5 p.m.:

Central Library

McCollough Library

North Park Library

Oaklyn Library

Red Bank Library

Early voting information is also on our website at:  https://www.evansvillegov.org/county/topic/index.php?topicid=437&structureid=329

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Carla J. Hayden

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Vanderburgh County

chayden@vanderburghcounty.in.gov

Despite Pushback, Veterans Advocate For Marijuana Legalization And Education

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Despite Pushback, Veterans Advocate For Marijuana Legalization And Education

  • By Ariana Lovitt, TheStatehouseFile.com
  • Updated

INDIANAPOLIS—In the state of Indiana, marijuana in all forms has not yet been legalized. As a highly controversial debate even today, the rallying cry for legalization grows louder.

As Indiana’s opiate crisis continues, more seek what they see as healthier alternatives to the often-abused and addictive drug. In Indiana, there has been a reported 500% increase in opiate-related deaths since 1999, and this disproportionately affects veterans nationally, at a rate 1.5 times higher than the rates for non-veterans, according to an FDA report.

Organizations such as the Indiana chapter of the National Organization Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Patriot Medicinal Hemp, and Veterans Industries and Arts (VIA) have joined forces to advocate and host events for Hoosiers.

Jeff Piper, who was formerly in the National Guard, is an advocate for the usage of marijuana and its legalization in the state due to the potential health benefits. As an advocate for others to “be like me, opiate free,” Piper’s experiences with past opioid addiction and PTSD have shaped his perspective. He represents Patriot Medicinal Hemp and VIA.

“It’s just everywhere around me,” Piper said. “I have a sister fighting [opioid addiction], I have a younger brother fighting it. Neither one of those are veterans; they’re the younger generation of my family that did not go into the military.”

Piper entered the National Guard when he was 17 and suffered a training accident when he was 21. From there, he was prescribed a multitude of medications, which presented him with difficult side effects and addiction. This led him to research marijuana as an alternative—a solution he believes has benefitted his health and wellbeing. Of the 13 medications previously prescribed to Piper, he now only takes one of them and supplements the rest with varieties of CBD.

The American Legion Post #34, a group of veterans hosting an event on April 20 for medical marijuana advocacy, has faced pushback due to what it says are misconceptions about marijuana legalization. The goal across the board is to educate the community and local veterans about their options when it comes to marijuana and CBD.

“One of the things that I really promote is the fact that we should be able to have [marijuana] as a medicine choice instead of the opiates at all,” Piper said.

Kerry Turney, commander of Post #34 of the Robert E. Kennington American Legion, similarly faced opioid issues as a result of medications diagnosed for her lupus.

“I was on three morphine pills, four Vicodin a day, and five Xanax just to sleep because of what the meds did to keep me awake,” Turney said. “I don’t need any of that anymore. I can go right down to the gas station on the corner and get a Delta 8 and be just fine, and without any side effects to go with it.”

Russell Johnson, the legionnaire with Post #34, understands there are caveats as well and hopes to offer more insight as to the potential CBD has.

“I hope it’s a good way that people can see just the broad use of CBD or marijuana as a product that goes far beyond what traditionally people may assume,” Johnson said. “There is no safe drug, right? There is no safe alcohol, and vaping is not a safe alternative to smoking. It’s just like anything else.

“Everything can come in moderation. And so if you’re going to use it, and you want to use it legally, well, this is how you should do it.”

During his time in the Marine Corps, there was a zero-tolerance policy for drug usage.

“When you’re in the military, you are by default going to be in a very conservative structure,” Johnson said. “There are standards that you have to meet. And so by default, while you’re in there, whether you like it or not, you’re going to be kind of conservative, right? Because you’re following the rules.

“The whole idea of the American Legion is to give everybody a common place where they can go where they’re safe to talk about these things and find out what resources they have available.”

“I think a little bit of how conservative or how strict you might be changes as well, too,” he added. “You know, I’ve been out of the Marine Corps longer now than when I was in it, so you loosen up a little bit.”

Several bills in support of legalizing, researching and decriminalizing marijuana failed to pass in the 2022 legislative session. Michigan and Illinois have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and Ohio has legalized it for medicinal use, but Indiana’s attempts through a dizzying 13 bills have all fallen flat. According to Forbes, 18 states allow for recreational use and 37 states allow for medicinal use.

“I know federally, they’re kind of looking into that proposal to make it federally legal, which obviously will change everything,” Turney said. “But, I mean, our governor is pretty against it. He’s made it clear several times that he’s not interested in doing that until the feds do. Having [veterans] know that there are legal things available to them to help is imperative at this point.”

The Legion’s medicinal hemp event will be held on April 20 at the Robert E. Kennington American Legion Post #34 on 2210 E. 54th St. in Indianapolis. Piper, among others, will be speaking about their experiences as well as educating community members and veterans on legal medical marijuana usage. The event is free for all members of the community.

FOOTNOTE: Ariana Lovitt is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Holcomb Is Trippin’: Governor And Team Head To Europe For Economic Meetings

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Holcomb Is Trippin’: Governor And Team Head To Europe For Economic Meetings
  • By Isaac Gleitz, TheStatehouseFile.com
  •  

INDIANAPOLIS—What are two things Hoosiers have in common with Europeans?

They like industry, and they want to go fast.

Gov. Eric Holcomb and Brad Chambers, Indiana Economic Development Corporation secretary of commerce, will travel to Europe next week to meet with business partners and motorsports industry giants alongside Indiana First Lady Janet Holcomb and other IEDC representatives.

In an IEDC press release, Holcomb said he wants the state to be part of the future of industry leadership. He and Chambers will visit Sweden, the United Kingdom and Monaco during a week abroad.

Holcomb said the trip is valuable because it’s always better to maintain “strategic relationships” by engaging with others in person, rather than digitally.

There are more than 550 European-owned businesses in Indiana, so the trip can highlight only a few.

Hopping Around Europe

The trip will start with two days in Sweden, where the two will meet with representatives from Saab, a Swedish aerospace engineering company that builds Air Force fighter jets in West Lafayette.

They will then venture to the United Kingdom for two days, where they will meet with food and beverage ingredient producer Tate and Lyle, which employs more than 500 people in the Lafayette area.

Indiana hosts over 100 other U.K.-owned businesses, making the U.K. Indiana’s third-largest investor globally. Another example is Rolls-Royce, which employs about 3,300 at its factory in Indianapolis.

Finally, it’s off to the tiny state of Monaco. Boasting a landmass smaller than a square mile, Monaco is surrounded by France on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Its population is about 40,000, but it is one of the richest places in the world per capita. And, like Indiana, it has a race.

Indiana recently announced it will partner with the global racing team Avalanche Andretti Formula E to pursue sustainability initiatives in the automobile and motorsports industries. In honor of this alliance, the trip will conclude with the Formula E World Championship race in Monaco. The Indiana duo will meet His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco before the race and join the crowd alongside the luxurious racetrack for the spectacle.

The camaraderie between Indiana and Monaco is no coincidence: Indianapolis was already home to Andretti Autosport, a global racing enterprise, before the recently announced clean energy partnership. So Indiana and Monaco have bonded over the motorsports industry, and clean energy will be a focal point of their relationship moving forward. Formula E was the first sport to be net zero in its carbon emissions from Day 1.

This will be Holcomb’s 11th international economic trip, his third with Chambers. The two visited Slovakia and Israel earlier this month to discuss trade possibilities.

The timing of the upcoming trip is convenient for Indiana. The European excursion comes a month before the Indiana Global Economic Summit slated for May 26-29, the same weekend as the Indianapolis 500 race.

That will be a busy week for Indiana business advocates. The Monaco Grand Prixis scheduled for the same weekend.

FOOTNOTE: Isaac Gleitz is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Pardon Me – We Paid For What?

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Pardon Me – We Paid For What?

By Dannie McIntire

City-County Observer

I’m a conservative and one of my favorite rants is over the lack of concern about our country’s debt. Many of us, while quite adept at maintaining a balanced checkbook, give little thought to the financial plight of our nation. 

One of the most often used methods to determine a nation’s financial health is in its percentage of debt against its gross national product (GDP). The GDP is basically the value of the goods and services produced annually in the country. The Debt-to-GDP ratio gives an insight into a country’s ability to service its outstanding debt. 

Many economists consider a “Debt-to GDP” above 77 percent to be an indication of decreasing economical health. In 2008 our Debt-to GDP was 68 percent, by the end of 2021 it has grown to 124 percent.

Our federal government is spending more money than it brings in, thus increasing the national debt through the borrowing of the money to finance its expenditures. If you ran your personal finances as our federal government does, you would have filed for bankruptcy years ago. Our federal government is basically operating by using a “credit card”. It is estimated our federal government will spend 5 percent of its 2022 budget, approximately  $305 billion dollars, simply paying interest on our national debt, Let that sink in…$305 billion in annual interest payments alone on our national debt…and our national debt continues to grow,  

Our nation has to learn to quit the wasteful spending of its revenues (tax dollars) on frivolous items. You may not agree with the politics of Kentucky senator Rand Paul, however each year he publishes an annual “Festivus” report which details wasteful government spending.

These are just a few examples of wasteful government spending detailed in his 2021 “Festivus” report:  

  • In Maryland, Baltimore schools received $1.27 million dollars in Covid relief funds for students who actually were not enrolled. (quite a bit of money for ghost students)
  • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio spent $25 million of taxpayer-funded federal COVID relief dollars to launch the “City Arts Corps,” paying 3,000 artists to publicly display creative works in an effort to “resurge the cultural scene” in the City. (I need to find my crayons and get in on this action)  
  • Congress gave the Defense Department $259 million dollars to help countries in the Middle East and North Africa border walls. (What about our own southern border?)
  • Partnering with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Embassy in Seoul is allocating up to a $150,000 grant to send ten Koreans aged 15-30 to Washington, D.C. for two weeks to learn about climate change activism. (That’s $15,000 in vacation money for each participant. I wouldn’t mind receiving a share like that for my annual family vacation.) 
  • While your kids and millions of American students were locked out of their schools for more than a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, your government has been paying to translate books into the Georgian language for Georgian students who are in the classroom and spending $182,741 to do it. 
  • The State Department U.S. Mission to France plans to allocate up to $200,000 to “enhance the understanding of the United States in France. (Say what…I personally could care less what the people of France think of us…we’ve saved their country in two world wars…shouldn’t that give them a good opinion of us)
  • The government used $2.4 million taxpayer dollars to create a dinosaur-centric film in 2D and 3D, a 3-episode TV series, a fictional book, and museum exhibits to “inspire” middle school-aged students. The film features dinosaurs in the Antarctic and hopes to “inspire future polar scientists” and “encourage young people to learn about Antarctica. Even if a young aspiring polar scientist wishes to watch the film, entrance to the exhibit is not free! Tickets for one parent and one child to attend run $34, which could give the museums a profit of up to $5.1 million if they ultimately reach 1.5 million of their aspired “millions” of film viewers.
  • The National Institutes Of Health (NIH) granted Reed College of Portland, Oregon $465,339 to create a token-based economy where pigeons are taught to gamble with slot machines. (teaching pigeons to gamble – you can’t make this kind of stuff up)
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the 12th Congressional District of California $2.1 million to incentivize residents to remove wood-burning systems and replace them with electric heat pumps. (Wait, doesn’t California suffer from rolling power outages due to overuse of their electrical power grid)
  • In January 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) posted a notice proposing to spend $11.3 million to “reduce environmental pollution in targeted areas across Vietnam,” which will include encouraging locals to stop burning their trash”.   
  • The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is in on the game, spending $3,428,300,000 and 20 years trying and failing to develop an amphibious combat vehicle (ACV) to replace the 40-year-old amphibious assault vehicle (AAV). (almost $3.5 billion spent and no acceptable vehicle….wow)
  • The National Institute on Aging (NIA) used nearly $1.3 million in taxpayer dollars over the course of 5 years to study how hearing good or bad news affects your happiness. (Ugh…good news is good….bad news is bad…there…the study is completed)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) granted the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo $361,011 in federal funding to study if kids crave junk food and gain weight. (seriously…you need a study to know that junk food is bad?)
  • The FDA granted Novatel, a Canadian aquaculture company, $337,500 in taxpayer dollars to fatten and raise juvenile eels to keep costs down for those wishing to eat the fish. (Now I’m trying to recall the last time I enjoyed a delicious meal of eel from Canada)

As I said, the above are just a few examples from Senator Rand Paul’s “2021 Festivus

Report” in which he highlights a whopping  $52,598,515,585 in wasteful federal government spending. You can access his report online but I would recommend that you have a bottle of anti-acid on hand when reading it. 

It is time that we as a voter and taxpayers, demand our elected representatives spend our tax dollars in a responsible manner and begin reducing our National Debt.

Attorney General Warns Hoosiers To Be Aware Of Scammers During Financial Literacy Month

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Attorney General Todd Rokita protects Hoosier consumers in a number of different ways. During April, which is Financial Literacy Month, Attorney General Rokita is educating the public on how to protect what they already possess. That means watching out for scammers.

“Protecting consumers is a priority of our daily work,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Whether through identity theft or data breaches, scammers are good at what they do, and they target Hoosiers from all walks of life with their sophisticated schemes for stealing your personal information. Knowing the red flags will help you better protect your family and resources.”

Attorney General Rokita offers the following tips:

  • Review your credit report
  • Shred personal papers
  • Request a free credit freeze
  • Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a call, e-mail or text that you didn’t expect.
  • Resist pressure to act immediately.
  • Stop and talk with someone you trust, like a friend, a family member, or a neighbor.

If you are the victim of a scam or spot one, we want to know about it. Report it at in.gov/attorneygeneral.

Planting Season Is Here; Remain Alert To Large Farm Equipment On Indiana Roads

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Planting Season Is Here; Remain Alert To Large Farm Equipment On Indiana Roads

INDIANA (April 21, 2022) — Planting season is quickly approaching for Indiana’s 94,000 farmers. With the warm weather and sunshine, Hoosier motorists will also see more large slow-moving farm equipment traveling Indiana’s rural roads and highways. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana State Police and Hoosier Ag Today want to encourage motorists to slow down, be alert and be patient on rural roadways this spring.

“Our farmers have an enormous job to do, feeding us and the rest of the world,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture. “And with that job comes a tremendous responsibility; let’s help our farmers out where we can. When you see large farm equipment traveling our Hoosier roadways slow down and give them space so everyone can get where they are going safely.”

In Indiana, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020 three vehicles were involved in crashes with farm equipment, which resulted in two deaths.

“During the spring and fall seasons Indiana sees a drastic increase of large farm equipment on our rural roads and highways,” said Doug Carter, Indiana State Police Superintendent. “In our strong agricultural state, it is critical that Hoosier motorists know the steps to take when approaching farm equipment on the roadways to ensure we all make it home safely to our families.”

While the term “farm equipment” encompasses a wide range of vehicles, the most common types motorists will encounter during planting season include sprayers, tractors pulling planters or tillage equipment, and large trucks hauling agricultural products. These vehicles are wide, sometimes taking up most of the road, and often travel at speeds no greater than 25 mph.

The following list includes several safety tips for motorists approaching large farm equipment:

  • Farmers will pull over when they are able to let motorists pass, but it may take time for them to get to a safe place to do so.
  • Be patient. Farm equipment is wide, sometimes taking up most of the road.
  • Be careful when passing. Do not pass in a designated “No Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevation structure or tunnel.
  • Do not try to pass slow-moving farm equipment on the left without ensuring that the farmer driving is not planning a left turn. It may appear that the driver is pulling over to allow a pass when the farmer is actually preparing to turn. You will drive right into its path, endangering yourself and the farmer.
  • Avoid tailgating, as some farm equipment might have to make sudden stops along the road.
  • Allow plenty of time to get to a destination, be aware of alternate routes and avoid distractions.

“Moving farm equipment on the roadways is one of the most dangerous parts of my job. It takes time to find a safe space for me to pull over and allow other motorists to pass safely. Please be considerate when you drive behind farm equipment, drivers and I have the same goal in mind each time we take a trip on Hoosier roads- to get our work done and make it home safely to our loved ones,” said Brent Bible, Tippecanoe Co. farmer.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler wants to remind motorists farmers work hard to ensure they are being as safe as possible.

“Hoosier farmers are trying to get to their fields safely and quickly, just like our Hoosier motorists are trying to get to work safely and quickly,” said Kettler. “I want to encourage motorists to be aware during this spring season and know that encountering farm equipment is likely and to slow down when approaching.”

For a list of safety tips, click here or visit isda.in.gov. The following organizations will be working together to share this important safety message during planting season: Hoosier Ag Today, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Department of Transportation and Indiana State Police.

Click here for a public service announcement created by Hoosier Ag Today. Listen to the PSA by tuning into Hoosier Ag Today radio stations. To find a local broadcasting station, click here.

Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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